There is a place where dragons still roam. The harsh and dry environment of southern Indonesia is home to the king of lizards – Komodo dragons. Their bite is venomous, and their skin is thick, making them built for defence and survival. But in this domain, their armour can’t shield them against the effects of climate change.
As the only apex predators endemic to five of over 17 000 islands in Indonesia, these animals have thrived for millennia. With a long tail, hooked claws, and scaly bodies, Komodo dragons revive the fantasies of mythical creatures. Their beast-like appearance is reinforced by their three-metre-long body that weighs over 100 kilograms, securing this colossal creature’s title as the world’s largest and heaviest lizard.
To help regulate their body temperatures, the cold-blooded animals find refuge in the shaded spots of the tropical forest floor. But increasing temperatures make it difficult to stay cool, and rising sea levels threaten to flood the low-lying habitats they prefer. There are less than 1 400 adult Komodo dragons left in the world and scientists predict that it will be mere decades until the few that remain go extinct.
To safeguard the species, Komodo National Park was established in 1980 in the Lesser Sunda Islands. The reserve was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its dedication to preserving Komodo dragons and other animals inhabiting the region. They’re further protected under Indonesian law, which makes it illegal to kill or trade them. In a rapidly-changing environment, these efforts are keeping Earth’s last dragons out of the fire.
